


A Very Special Day

by Primula_Baggins



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bag End, Birthday, Gen, Hobbiton, The Shire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 18:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10645434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Primula_Baggins/pseuds/Primula_Baggins
Summary: Frodo, Bilbo, Merry and Pippin get ready for a party of special magnificence.





	A Very Special Day

Frodo awoke, stumbled from his bed, and hurried into the privy where he relieved himself. As he walked back to his smial, he detoured into the front sitting room and looked out across Hobbiton. The stars were still shining, and the moon that was just setting into the Western sky cast a glow over the little town.  
  
He scrambled to light a fire and curled up into the big chair nearby. It was his 33rd birthday, a day he had anticipated for very long. The excitement of it made him not want to miss a moment of the day.  
  
He looked about the room at all the packages nicely wrapped and tied with various bows. How Bilbo was going to determine who should get what at the party was a mystery that only he knew. There were still scraps of paper and ribbons scattered everywhere.  
  
Frodo gathered up the pieces that were obviously useless for any other purpose and threw them into the fire, watching as it flared up into the chimney. He loved watching the fire this way. Bilbo had always told him to be extra careful for the sparks from such fires could travel up the chimney and light the grasses on the ground overhead. So he threw on his cloak and ran outside to make sure everything was safe.  
  
When he returned, he lit the fire on the stove and sat water on it to heat for tea. Then he sliced some bread and put that into a skillet to toast ever so lightly. He didn’t like his toast very burnt, not the way Bilbo did. There were a lot of things he did differently from Bilbo, and it gave him great pleasure to do so.  
  
When the tea was ready and the toast was nicely finished with butter and jam, he took them back to the big chair by the fire and curled up once more. Slowly he savored a bite of toast and a sip of tea, one after another, until they were all gone.  
  
“Good morning, my boy!” Bilbo’s voice took Frodo away from his thoughts of the day ahead.  
  
“Good morning, Bilbo.”  
  
“And what’s got you up so early? You usually sleep in well past sunrise.”  
  
“It’s the excitement, Bilbo. I want the day to be here, already. I’ve just been thinking about all the hope there is for the future. I’m not a tween any longer, you know.”  
  
“Yes, I know, Frodo. I remember when I became an adult hobbit. It’s as if it were yesterday.” Bilbo wandered off into the kitchen and could be heard fixing himself some tea, too.  
  
Frodo went into the bath room and scrubbed his face and hands well. He’d taken a full bath the evening before in anticipation of this day. He scrubbed his teeth and used a solution of spearmint to gargle. He liked the way it made his breath smell. Bilbo had gotten it on one of his adventures, and it was only used on special occasions.  
  
He dressed, putting on regular clothes. Later, just before the party began, he’d come back and dress in his finer garb.  
  
As he opened the door to walk outside, the sun’s rays were just coming up over the horizon. _Such beauty there is in the world_ he thought. _I wish everyday could be like this._  
  
  
He took a deep breath of the fresh air and began his trek down the hill. As he passed each hobbit hole, he could still see lights inside and hear the voices of the town’s people getting ready for the new day. Most would be at the party of special magnificence, he knew. It must have been nearly as exciting for them as for him.  
  
He walked down to the party field and saw the tents and tables that had been set up the day before. He saw some lights that were waiting to be strung on poles that had been carefully placed strategically here and there. Several small areas were raised, one for the musicians who would play and one for those who had an inkling of giving a speech or two.  
  
Frodo picked up the light strings and began stretching them from pole to pole. Now that there was more light, it was easier to see what he was doing.  
  
“Frodo!” Across the field he could see a wagon. Merry waved heartily at him. Frodo dropped the lights and ran to greet the just arriving guests.  
  
“You’re here already?” he said in hushed tones. He wasn’t quite sure who might still be trying to sleep.  
  
“Aye, we’ve been driving for hours now,” Pippin said sleepily. “Merry said we _had_ to leave early to miss the crowds coming into town. Now what crowds would there be coming to Hobbiton, Frodo?” Even in the low light, Frodo could see the familiar twinkle in Pippin’s eyes as he spoke.  
  
“Me? Don’t lie, Pippin! You know full well that it’s you who couldn’t wait to start the journey. I swear, Frodo, this cousin of ours has done nothing but talk about your birthday for weeks! It’s been ‘Frodo and Bilbo, this, and Frodo and Bilbo, that!’ ”  
  
Frodo let out a hearty laugh. “Please don’t change, Pippin, dear.”  
  
“What’re you doing, Frodo?”  
  
“I was just stringing lights for the party, Pippin. Want to help?”  
  
“Why you, Frodo? I thought there’d be others getting things ready.”  
  
“I’m just helping a bit. Truthfully, Pippin, I’m as excited as you for this day to be here. I need to do something to work off the anticipation.”  
  
The three embraced, and Frodo climbed onto the wagon along with Merry and Pippin, and they continued the ride up to Bag End.  
  


~~~

  
  
“Boys, boys, come in, come in!” Bilbo threw open the round, green door and welcomed his visitors. “Here, let me take your cloaks. Is there anything you need carried in? I’ll just hang your cloaks here by the door. Have you eaten anything? Of course not! I’ll just run into the kitchen and see what there is to eat!” And with that, he scurried off.  
  
The younger hobbits looked at one another and smiled, broadly. “You’ll have to excuse Bilbo. I believe he’s more excited than he wants to admit,” said Frodo.  
  
“Yes, but he’s always like this!” Pippin giggled. Merry and Frodo couldn’t help but laugh, too, since it was very true. Bilbo was like that, always a little frantic, but meaning well. He’d been this way as long as Frodo could remember. The town folk thought him odd, but Frodo, Merry and Pippin only saw him as well intentioned and caring.  
  
Bilbo put out a minor feast for them all, and bid them to sit at the long table. They ate bacon, eggs, and muffins with honey, and washed it all down with a tea saved for such occasions.  
  
“My dear boys, today is a day of special magnificence! Today, I am celebrating my hundred and eleventy birthday! The best part is that Frodo is no longer a tween. He has learned much these few years he’s lived with me. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”  
  
“Thank you, Bilbo. You’ve taught me much, and I am very grateful.”  
  
“Nonsense, my boy. I taught you what you needed to learn and I needed to have you learn. You will do fine, just fine.”  
  
Frodo wasn’t sure what that last part meant, but it didn’t matter. He felt most fortunate to have had Bilbo take him under his wing. Life had never been so good as it had been with him here at Bag End.  
  
The plates were cleared and washed, and Bilbo went off to get more things ready for the evening’s party.  
  
“I’ve heard a rumor that Gandalf might come,” said Merry. “Did you hear it, too?”  
  
“He might. But you know wizards; they come when they are ready. He’ll come if there’s a good reason to be here, I expect.”  
  
“I always love his fireworks. Don’t you love them, Frodo?” Merry queried.  
  
“Of course. I don’t know how he does them, but no one can make them like Gandalf, that’s for sure,” Frodo agreed.  
  
The three cousins talked for hours, until Merry and Pippin decided to take a nap. It seemed traveling half the night had taken its toll. Besides, with the long night ahead, they wanted to be rested.  
  
Frodo decided to take a book down near the river and read. He knew the perfect spot right by the road coming into Hobbiton. As he sat beneath a tree, he could see streams of people come into town for the party.  
  
In mid-afternoon, he saw the dust from a small cart coming up the road. As it drew closer, he could see the grey outline, the pointed hat, and the cart full of what appeared to be fireworks. He stood and ran to the side of the road to greet the guest.  
  
“Gandalf, you’re late!”  
  
Gandalf stopped the carriage, gave a serious look at Frodo and replied, “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”  
  
They each broke into delighted laughter, and Frodo jumped onto his cart and hugged him.  
  
“It’s wonderful to see you Gandalf!”  
  
“You didn’t think I’d miss you and your Uncle Bilbo’s birthdays, did you?”  
  
The wagon pulled up the hill, and as it passed by the townspeople, everyone knew that this would indeed be a party to be remembered.  
  
The End


End file.
